A middle school teacher and her friend were arrested in connection with an alleged prostitution scheme that took place at a New Jersey casino hotel, in which a man was allegedly restrained and forced to endure sexual acts while he was robbed.
The New Jersey Department of Corrections identified Amanda Crafts and Veda Engel as suspects in the case. Following their arrests, it was revealed that Crafts, 35, worked as a computer teacher at Middle Township Middle School at the time of the incident, according to her LinkedIn.
Engel, 23, has a history of prostitution-related charges, with one being as recent as December 2025, according to Breaking AC.
The friends were arrested following the alleged incident that took place on October 9.
Police said that the women met the victim at a bar at a hotel resort in Atlantic City. The victim then exchanged numbers with Engel before he reportedly met the two women in their room.
Once the three of them were in the room, the victim claimed that the two women stripped him down and physically restrained him to the bed. Engel then allegedly forced sexual acts on him and said, “That’s what you get for $1,250,” according to the complaint viewed by the outlet.
Crafts allegedly held the victim down as Engel used the victim’s facial recognition to unlock his phone. Police claimed she then made four separate Apple Pay transactions to herself, which came to a total of $1,250.
The victim told authorities that the transactions were “made without his consent in exchange for sexual acts,” according to the affidavit.
While appearing in court, Crafts explained to the judge that she was a teacher and had no criminal record.
“I was in the wrong place at the wrong time,” she told Judge Timothy Maguire in a video appearance while she was being held at the Atlantic County Justice Facility.
Following her arrest, the school district released a statement on October 19 acknowledging that a Middle Township teacher had been arrested and that the employee was subsequently fired.
“Our responsibility is to protect our students, follow appropriate procedures and ensure that those entrusted with caring for and educating our children meet the standards expected of them. The safety and well-being of our students remain our highest priority,” Superintendent Stephanie DeRose said in a statement shared via Facebook.
Both Engel and Crafts were both released on October 15 after they were held in custody for nearly a week. The state consented to their pretrial release under the requirement that they check in with the court every other week.
Crafts’ attorney, Charles Peruto Jr., has maintained that his client is innocent. “I truly believe that she was there to party,” Peruto told Breaking AC, adding that the teacher gave her cell phone to police to show she had been online throughout the events and did not participate in the alleged robbery.
While Crafts has not formally entered a plea, Peruto said that she would not accept a plea deal and they plan to fight the charges.
Engel’s attorney, Jordan L. Barbone, told Us, “The allegations against Ms. Engel are inaccurate, incredible and a fabrication of reality. We’re due in Court on November 18 and look forward to her exoneration. This wasn’t a robbery; the charges are bogus.”
